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The Indian hockey team also ended a 52-year drought defeating Australia 3-2 in their final Pool B game.
But despite the achievements, India remains at 44th in the overall medal tally, with three bronze medals, all from shooting events.
Bhaker advanced to the 25m pistol competition after finishing second in the qualifications with a score of 590. She has already won two bronze medals in the 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team events, partnering with Sarabjot Singh.
Bhaker’s performance is particularly noteworthy as she is the reigning world champion in the 25m event. If she secures a podium finish on Saturday, she will become the first Indian athlete to achieve three successive Olympic medals in a single edition.
Lakshya displays unwavering commitment
Star shuttler Lakshya Sen achieved a significant milestone in the evening, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen 19-21, 21-15, 21-12 to advance to the semifinals.
With the win, Sen became the frst Indian male badminton player to enter Olympic semis. Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu previously reached similar feat in women’s game.
Lakshya’s next match will be against the winner of the clash between 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew from Singapore and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark. If Lakshya wins, he will be guaranteed at least a silver medal. If he loses, he will still have an opportunity to compete for a bronze medal in the playoff.
The day also saw disappointment as the mixed archery team of Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara finished in fourth place.
They lost to the USA 2-6 in a closely contested bronze medal play-off.
The pair initially showed promise to secure India’s first-ever Olympic medal in archery but faltered in the critical moments after losing to defending champions Korea in the semifinals.
Hockey team breaks a jinx
India’s hockey team defeated Australia 3-2 at the Olympic Games, marking their first win against the formidable opponents since 1972.
The victory secured India the second position in Pool B.
Harmanpreet Singh, the team captain, scored twice in the match, contributing significantly to India’s victory over the Tokyo Games silver medallists in their final pool game.
Despite having already secured a spot in the quarterfinals, the Indian team played with determination and controlled most of the game, surprising the Kookaburras, who they last triumphed over in the 1972 Munich Olympics.
“It was an important match. We needed a match like this before the quarterfinals. From the start we put them under pressure. It’s a proud moment to beat Australia,” a proud Harmanpreet said after the match.
Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, playing in his last international tournament, was instrumental in the win, making crucial saves to prevent the Australians from scoring.
Golfers keep it steady
Shubhankar Sharma delivered two eagles in his second round but lost four shots mid-game, resulting in a two-under 69, placing him 25th in the golf competition.
Combined with his first-round 70, he stands at three-under after two days at Le Golf National near Paris.
The other Indian participant, Gaganjeet Bhullar, improved on his first round score of 75 with a two-under 69 and is now tied for 52nd.
The disappointments
Asian Games-medallist shooter Esha Singh ended 18th in the 25m pistol qualification at the Paris Olympics.
Judoka Tulika Mann lost in her opening round against London Games champion Idalys Ortiz, while rower Balraj Panwar finished 23rd in the men’s single sculls event.
Esha scored a total of 581, with 291 in precision and 290 in rapid, finishing 18th out of 40 shooters. She missed qualifying for the eight-shooter final by a significant margin.
In judo, Tulika faced a tough challenge in the women’s +78kg event against Idalys Ortiz of Cuba. The 25-year-old from Delhi, who won a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, was defeated 0-10 by ippon at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.
Indian rower Balraj concluded his Paris Games campaign in 23rd place in the men’s single sculls. The 25-year-old from Haryana clocked 7:02.37, his best timing of the Games, in Final D, which was not a medal round.
Balraj was India’s lone representative in rowing at the Paris Olympics and had earlier finished fifth in his quarterfinals heat race on Tuesday.
